THE highly-anticipated Round 4 of the NCF third division men’s competition saw the Nambucca Strikers draw 0-0 with rivals Macksville in an intense battle for three points.

The game certainly didn’t disappoint as it was an entertaining, end-to-end match that had the small but rowdy crowd on the edge of their seats throughout.

The Nambucca Strikers started the game with a lot of purpose creating several attacking raids and shots at goal.

However, the young Macksville team proved their worth by playing good football from the back and keeping their line strong.

They slowly fought their way into the game, creating several opportunities that tested the defence of the Strikers.

The best chance of the game came in the 80th minute from a scramble in the box following a Strikers corner kick.

Clay Urquhart took a shot that looked to be heading into the top right corner, only for Macksville goalkeeper, Jason ‘Strawb’ Frost, to pull off an absolute screamer of a save.

As the minutes ticked by and both teams had several chances, neither side could find the back of the net, resulting in a 0-0 draw for the derby.

Strikers coach Ricky Welsh was happy with the outcome.

Despite the draw, the Nambucca Strikers maintain their mid-table position and are still in touch with the top four.

Next week, they will travel to Coffs to take on the third-placed Coffs Tigers at Polwarth Drive on Saturday 20 May at 1 pm.

By David Wigley